This invention applies to the recreation of fishing. The well-known practice of recreational fishing involves a fisherman, a fishing rod and reel, a fishing line, a fishing lure, and, with any luck, at least one fish. A fisherman uses the rod, reel and line to cast the lure into the water. When a fish bites the lure, the fisherman uses the rod and reel to pull on the line and retrieve the lure with the fish in tow.
This simplified, traditional method of fishing contains several hurdles. One hurdle for fishermen is keeping the fish from getting away. Once the fish is hooked, the fish will normally begin pulling on the line. This pulling on the line can cause the line to break, the line to disengage from the lure, or the fish to disengage from the lure. Any of these results will allow the fish to get away, thereby frustrating the fishermen.
Breaking the line while casting is another problem fishermen can have. The lighter the fishing line, the less force the line can withstand. Fishermen put a challenging load on a fishing line when trying to cast a great distance and depending on the weight of the lure and the size of the fishing line, the line can snap under the force of casting. As fishermen prefer to be able to cast a great distance, the limitation imposed by the strength of the line can be a detriment to casting distance.
One method of overcoming the possibility of the fishing line breaking is getting a thicker, stronger fishing line. However getting a thicker, stronger fishing line means the line is also heavier. The heavier the fishing line, the shorter the distance a fisherman can cast her line. The shorter the distance the fisherman can cast her line, the lower her range to cast circumferentially. Fishermen prefer to be able to sit still when fishing and hit any visible location in the water where they suspect the fish are apt to be. Therefore, this method of overcoming the fishing line breakage problem frustrates most fishermen.
Another problem fishermen have is the hooks of the lure getting caught on undesirable undersea objects, such as rocks. When the lure gets caught on these undersea objects, the fisherman must tug on the lines in hopes of freeing the lure. If the lure is sufficiently secured to the undersea object, the fisherman will either break the line tugging or must cut the line to free his rod and continue fishing. Either method results in the loss of the lure and some portion of the line. In an ideal situation, the fishing lure could avoid being caught in this situation.
A final problem fishermen have is trying to change lures while fishing. Recreational fishing is often performed before dawn and in a wide range of temperatures. When the fish are not responding to one type of lure or a fisherman simply wants to try out another lure, the lure in use must be cut from the fishing line and a new lure tied. It can be difficult to thread and tie the new lure when lighting conditions are poor and a fisherman's hands are partially numb from the temperature. Changing lures would be easier if it did not require tying on the new lure. This is a problem for fishermen. Presently there are line snaps on the market, which are intended to alleviate this problem, but they exist on the outside of the lure and tend to detract from the performance of the lure. Preferably, a fishing lure could be changed from a fishing line without needing to retie the new fishing lure and without detracting from the performance and/or appearance of the lure. Ideally the fishing lure could be modified and customized, with weights and other accessories, without needing to retie the lure to the fishing line.